


Bad Moon Rising

by Enigma_IM



Category: Among Us (Video Game)
Genre: Aliens, Among Us, Blood and Gore, Distrust, F/M, Imposter, Mass Murder, Memory Loss, Suspicions, minor PTSD, the thing - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-15
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:53:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27567799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enigma_IM/pseuds/Enigma_IM
Summary: With her memory lost, she doesn't know the dangers of the new ship.
Relationships: imp x crewmate
Comments: 6
Kudos: 25





	Bad Moon Rising

**Author's Note:**

> Lots of The Thing references, so if you like that movie then you may get a kick outta this story.

I can't remember much before the lights. Blank till I'm woken by people storming into the room. I could barely hear the shouting over the ringing in my ears and everything came in a rush of just images. Dark ship illuminated by weak torches, bright loading bay filled with loud people, and headaches.

When things finally make sense is when I find myself gasping for air in the med bay. Sitting ramrod straight I inhale harshly, clenching my chest as images run through my head. None of it makes sense and all I can remember is red, so much red. Thinking about it cinches my heart and lungs. Without much thought I begin counting my fingers, pressing each digit to my thumb as I count up.

"33, 34, 35," I mumble as I take deep inhales. I drop my shoulders and sigh as my heart finishes it's racing.

"good now," a deep voice asks. I stiffen again, fisting the bedding as I snap towards the voice. A few feet away is another bed with another person. I look to the man conflicted and alarmed. Looking at his face brings a flashback to my head, him laughing at a table. He cocks a brow at me, crossing his arms as he leans back against the wall.

"cat got your tongue, love," he asks with a cocky grin. The grin plucks at my chest, tugging at memories lost for the time being. I don't answer. He sits up concerned his forehead creasing as he begins to toss the blanket off his legs. "Love, you alright?"

He crosses the gap between us quickly, startling me with his intensity. I lean away from his hand as he reaches for me, tugging the blanket up towards my neck while I eye him warily.

"love," he sighs," do you know who I am?" the only answer I can muster is a shake of my head. His response is strange though. He smiles, chuckling to himself. "Well, what an interesting turn of events," he says. Reaching out he grabs my head, tugging on my hair when I attempt to flee. He leans down and presses a kiss to my head," everything is going to be fine, trust me."

I just nod as I gauge the warmth flooding my cheeks.

<<<0>>>

A doctor shows up later to ask too many questions. She rambles on and on about nonsense that makes my head throb. Dividing her attention between the man and me at the beginning was the only relief she bothered to give me. Once he was waved away as healthy, I was left alone with the doctor. The rampage of questions begin, none I could answer.

As she talked and explained my memory loss I found I couldn't focus on her words. A strange hum sat behind my sternum, edging me towards action. Every little noise made me snap to attention, ready to turn and run at a second's notice. The anxiety could be chalked up to the fear of my situation but it felt deeper than that.

I looked at everything but I found I was more focused on the doctor herself. Watching her hands move as she talked, watch how frequently she blinked, and her swaying her weight from foot to foot. Every little movement was recorded to an uncomfortable degree. The one thing that brought me comfort was looking at her earrings, such beautiful little rose diamond studs.

<<<0>>>

"So you don't remember me at all," the man asks as he tosses a ball at the wall. The thud does nothing to force my eyes from him.   
I've taken to watching everyone who enters with eagle-like focus. Little noises and movements take my attention for seconds before I look back to whoever invades my room.

The thuds stop as the man looks to me, cocking a brow in question. I shake my head in answer. The thudding begins again when he looks away.

"Shame," he says casually," you can talk, you know, I won't bite." he smiles at his own joke. I still keep quiet.

This man makes me feel uneasy though the only memory I have of him is him laughing. I'm weary of his nearness but I can't deny the comfort I have of him being here. I still don't care for his prying. Similar to the doctor he asks too many questions. Though he is more amused by my answers than the woman.

"That's fine, you didn't much care for speaking with me when we first met," he shrugs," though I grew on you, like a fungus. I feel confident I can do that again." his smile is more personal now. I don't bother with even acknowledging his personal challenge. Let him do as he wishes.

It's quiet for a while, the ball hitting the wall being the only sound. I watch him and he passes an occasional glance to me, snickering to himself when he turns back.

"No need to watch me with such focus, love," he chuckles," if you have any questions feel free to ask."

"Why do you call me that," I ask quickly, croaking out the question in a near whisper. He startles at my question, turning to face me.

"What," he smiles," love?"

I nod.

"well, that would be spoilers, love," his teeth gleam in his smirk," I'll let you figure it out yourself. In the meantime, I have some things to deal with." he gets out of the chair and walks over. Grabbing my head once more he presses a chaste kiss to my cheek then exits the room. I watch the door shut behind him before I look at the clock. It's rather late for anyone to be dealing with business.

<<<0>>>

I don't see the doctor woman for a while. Another doctor takes her place, and I must say I prefer him over her. He asks fewer questions. He comes in and gets down to business. Asking what he needs then taking vitals swiftly. No pointless small talk and minimal memory jogging questions. His quiet demeanor reminds me of someone I used to know.

A flashback of shaking hands with a large dark woman in a room surrounded by machines. Her hold is strong that I wince when she shakes my hand, it makes her laugh. It's strange having the few memories I have are of people laughing. The memory makes me feel warm and jovial. This doctor is one of the few that I feel safe around.

I barely catch sight of the man that calls me love, missing around the same time the doctor woman left. He shows up for a short time once or twice this week, checking in on my recovery before heading out on 'business'.

He stops by again today, bumping into the doctor as he exits the room.

"Aye, sorry doc," he grabs the doctor's shoulders.

"No problem, just heading out now," the doctor answers as he grabs the door.

"yea, yea," he pats the doctor on the shoulder," don't let me keep you, imagine your busy on this sterilized ship."

"ha," the doctor chuckles," getting sick here is basically unheard of but it just means that when I do work I have something serious on my hands."

"true, anyway don't let me keep ya," he waves," later doc."

Watching the interaction was boring. The small talk was casual but uninteresting. Though the gleam of the doctor's capped tooth caught my attention and settled my nerves for some reason. I feel more comfortable with him now.

<<<0>>>

"Still nothing," the man asks as he lounges at the foot of my bed. I shake my head. He sighs before rolling onto his stomach, resting his head on his hand. "So you don't remember Clark or Norris? They were very close to you, especially during the end," he says," or even Garry, Windows, and Palmer?"

His attempts at jogging my memory wears thin very quickly. It's been all week with him trying to bring some ideas of my past. The frustrations aren't in him but in me. I cannot remember these people or the events the unfolded to bring me where I am. I've tried asking him how we got here but he avoids the question expertly. It piles the stress till I'm wishing he would just leave.

"Why does it matter? Their dead, can you leave now," I snap at him. He startles at my outburst, lifting himself onto his knees.

"hey," he coos," it's ok, I'm sorry for asking so many questions. I know this has to be hard for you and I don't ever wanna be the reason you're distressed." I scowl at him instead of answering. For someone who values my comfort, he is doing a shit job at trying to maintain it. His gaze softens as he regards me, giving me a once over before he crawls up the bed. He sits down beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I stiffly allow him to cradle me against his side, feeling mixed up in my head.

The position feels familiar enough that I just let myself be. It's clear to me that he was someone with a different relationship with me. Lovers felt wrong but romantic partners seemed about right. I don't know what I could have seen in him to want to be interested in him. He is cocky and pushy to an annoying degree. I want him gone as much as I want him around. If only he would stop talking then I might feel better having him here.

"what are you thinking about," he mumbles as he rests his cheek on my head.

"you," I answer honestly.

He chuckles," all good thoughts I hope."

"they aren't, I find you very aggravating and annoying," I say in hopes of drenching his ego. Instead of being put off, he laughs.

"yea, may not have your memories but you still feel the same about me," he snickers into my hair. I don't understand our dynamics. I wish for my memories back when he is near because everything he reveals is confusing.

"if I hated you so much, why were we together?"

He tilts forward to look at me," you think we were together?"

"were we not," I ask worriedly. Did I gauge everything wrong? Was what I was feeling misinterpreted?

"oh, we were," he rests his hand on my thigh," was a blossoming relationship that neither of us could help. You had a distrust of me but we still worked very well together."

I scoff," if I didn't trust you then why would I want to date you?" he laughs again. His head bumps against mine as he chuckles, eye closed in his humor. I nudge him away with my shoulder, offended at his laughter.

"Sorry," he pats my leg," it's just you are too adorable."

"adorable for questioning," I ask confused and insulted.

"yea," he grabs my legs and lays them over his lap," adorable, smart, inquisitive, sexy, temperamental, and just too much fun." he cups my cheek as he bumps his forehead to mine. I freeze, curious above all else to what he is doing. I'm tense and scared but tempted.

"Temperamental?"

"yes," he nudges my nose," always so quick to anger, love, but I knew one way to calm you down."

Our breath mingles as my heart rate ramps up. I can feel the anticipation like a tangible thing. A war fights in my chest on if I really want what's happening. He is technically a stranger in my mind. In my heart, he is someone special. Which do I listen to? A sense of danger emits from him in every interaction but I can't bother to care.

"Stop thinking," he mumbles before pressing his lips to mine. I gasp at the warmth, reacting on instinct. It comes so fluidly, kissing him like I've done a hundred times. My hand comes up on its own accord, resting against his chest and sliding up to his hair.

Flickers of times before flood my head. Moments of stolen kisses in corridors or closets, intimate settings of a bedroom or kitchen, all centered around this feeling now. I want to push him away to sort these memories but the loss of his warmth is too much to bear. He is a comfort right now, a comfort I so desperately need.

My hand smooths the back of his neck till my thumb touches his ear. A loss strikes me as I flick his lobe. I pull back confused, staring at the skin on the side of his head.

"what," he asks dazed.

"didn't you have an earring," I ask as I admire the unblemished skin.

<<<0>>>

The female doctor returned this week. Her questions have dimmed down but still scratch my nerves. I cannot hear the words 'how are you feeling today' without feeling like going on a rampage. I understand her purpose to get my memories back, I appreciate it, but at this point, I'm accepting they aren't coming back all at once. Time is all I need, not these random questions that lead me to fury.

"Still nothing," the woman asks as she shines the light into my eyes. I bat her away while shaking my head. I don't want to speak with her more than needed. "shame, the man you came in with has been no help in finding out what happened to your ship," she rambles on as she readies the blood pressure cuff," he much prefers rattling on about nothing of importance than why there were bullet holes around the ship." I shrug in answer.

I watch her as she works, focusing on all her actions like before. An unease rumbles around my chest ever since she came in. I tried chalking it up to normal unease of her but it seems different this time. Perhaps her short leave has left a weird taste in my mouth. She continues to talk nonsense about the goings-on of her work while I study her face.

She finishes up quicker than usual, clapping her hands in finality as she waves me off as healthy. Not that my health has changed since I've gotten here.

"well, there isn't much I can do for today. A normal check-up and some one-sided conversation are all we needed," she heads towards the door. As she turns I catch sight of her ear. The newly revealed skin catches my attention as I study the area eagerly. The familiar stud that decorated her lobe is missing, even the hole was gone. She steals my focus away from her absent piercing with a wave of her hand," goodbye, love, till next time."

Her departure left me more uneased.

<<<0>>>

There is a fog of concern that layers the next few days. The doctor visits become nonexistent this week. The man who claims to care for me barely visits lately as well. As much as I wanted him gone I still feel sad at his lack of visitation. I guess I can't expect him to come with the freedom to explore the ship. Especially with the strange stiffness of the atmosphere, I can imagine everyone is far too busy.

A knock at my door startles me from reading on my borrowed tablet. Without an invitation, two uniformed men enter with rigid postures and indifferent faces. They both wear badges on their arms identifying their positions on the ship, security. 

"Sorry to disturb you miss but we have a few questions if you don't mind," the taller of the two starts. I nod, sitting up in bed. The two walk further into the room and stand imposing at the end of the bed. The authority they project is intimidating enough that I feel that any unagreeable actions would be met with swift punishment.

"There is no need to be so worried, ma'am, we are just wondering if you have seen anything unusual lately. We like to check in on all our residents to keep an open line of communication to everyone," the shorter one smiles. His attempts to defuse the worry falls short on me.

"So, have you seen anything strange lately? People out later in the day cycle or weird noises in the vents," the taller one asks. I think back on the previous weeks, nothing of importance comes to mind. Staying in one room for a month doesn't let me see more than the hallway outside.

"no," I answer shortly.

"no? even a doctor acting strange or your friend saying weird things," the tall one tries to bait.

"I said no," I say," should I be worried about something?"

"No, no," the short one soothes," nothing to concern yourself with. Everything is perfectly fine and you are in safe hands being taken care of by our best medical staff."

His words feel too rehearsed to be honest. Though I can't refute his claim, I stay silent and nod with whatever they say. With their attempts of conversation failing they make their leave with curt nods. The taller one gives a forced smile as he shuts the door, his fake tooth catching the light.

<<<0>>>

It's late at night when the man comes to visit. He startles me awake towards the middle of the night as he crawls into my bed. I cannot decide if his arm curling around my waist is welcomed or not. The kiss to the back of my neck eases me slightly.

"Didn't mean to wake you," he mumbles," I felt like I had to be close to you tonight. Sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, humor me for tonight, please."

"it's fine," I grumble. His arm tightens around my waist as his face snuggles to my back. I feel the urge to hold his hand closer to my stomach but I decide against it in hopes of him speaking some more.

We lay there in the quiet room for a while, almost long enough for me to fall back to sleep. I'm almost sure he fell asleep until I feel his thumb pet across the fabric of my shirt. He hums against my neck.

"you truly don't remember anything," he whispers," I thought you were playing at it but you are too relaxed right now to truly know."

"Know what?"

He hums," nothing."

The silence edges onward as we roll into midnight. The previous comfort is thrown aside to bring forth the unease I use to feel for him. What could he mean 'know the truth'? Should I not be so comfortable with him here? Maybe my heart is turning me astray because he knows the me before now. It's easy to be relaxed around someone who knows what's missing in your brain. Maybe he is using that against me now.

"Stop thinking," he growls," you always do that, just lay here with me and don't worry about anything else."

I huff," easier said than done. You can't say things like that when you aren't the one with most of your memories missing."

He hums in answer. I want to roll over and confront him with questions that I never bothered asking. With every hint, I feel that knowing the truth would be detrimental.

"do you trust me? Having nothing to your head but what you know and feel now, do you trust me," he asks. I think on the question, feeling the trap being laid. Do I trust him? He hasn't proven himself as either-or.

"I don't know," I answer honestly.

"you should trust me," he says," I will never let anyone or anything hurt you."

"if you say so" I fulfill the urge to grab his hand. His words do tilt me towards trusting him but I hold back some.

"Can I tell you something that may hurt your feelings?"

"yes."

"I," he hesitates," I thought about leaving you when I found out you lost your memories. It was so easy to go my own way and complete my own tasks. Yet, seeing you laying in the bed so confused and uneased around everyone, I couldn't do it. We had a conversation before all this on whether or not I cared for you. At the time I couldn't bring myself to validate your feelings because I was uncertain of mine. Now I can confidently say that I treasure you, memories, or not." he grabs my hip to turn me onto my back. Hovering over me he drops his head to mine with eyes closed.

He sighs," love, whatever happens, please have faith in me to take care of you."

"I-," I try to speak but the words stick in my throat. I attempt again, falling short once more. Returning his words are impossible right now, all I can do is nod. He closes the space between us, kissing me with more sincerity than our first kiss. His hand pets down to my leg, groping my thigh with a groan.

A few images of the same situation poke at my head but the scenes never finish farther than touching. It's unknown to me if there was, even more, to see after that. All I know is the familiarity of right now.

"may I sleep here tonight," he asks before stealing another kiss. I cannot speak, only nod.

<<<0>>>

A dull alarm wakes me the next night. Looking at the clock I see I haven't been asleep long. Confused and curious I look around the room, trying to figure out the soft siren sound. Looking out the hallway I can see through the window of the door a blinking light. The floor illuminates in intervals as the light shines in.

I wait patiently for something to happen as an eerie familiar scene unfolds before me. A person runs by the door, blocking the light for a moment before they run onwards. A few seconds later another person runs by but stops at the door. I can barely hear them speaking before a loud scream shocks me into sitting up in bed. I watch the head of the person through the door shake before they fall with a loud thud to the door.

Scared, I throw the blanket off the bed and stand. The darkroom is made easier to cross with the dim light from the hall. I walk slowly towards the door, hearing nothing besides the alarm. Step by step I anxiously walk forward, ready to turn and run. I stop before the door and look to the table at the wall. Quickly I grab the first thing I see that I can use as a weapon.

I open and walk out the door while holding a bone saw. The body on the floor immediately catches my attention, it laying bloodied at my feet.

"oh god," I whimper as I look at the body. Their face is skinned and torn down their neck. The muscles are visible on their cheeks, their eyes popping out the missing lower lids. Before I can gag, a memory makes my head throb. A scene I never wished to relive plagues my thoughts. Friends lay dead similar to the body below.

In utter fear, I walk over the body and make my way down the hall in hopes of reaching safety. I twist in turn down winding halls, passing streaks of blood and bullet holes. The light remains dimmed throughout the walk adding a new level of suspense.

I make it further in the ship till I reach a closed set of double doors. The sign next to them reads 'navigation'. The idea of a room filled with people working the ship brings comfort to my otherwise terror wracked body. Quickly, I open the door and stumble inside the darkroom. The doors close behind me.

The only lights the room has are the stars visible from the large window. I try to use the backdrop to see anything in the room but all is quiet and still.

"Hello," I call into the room, feeling anxious. A wet sucking sound answers back. A few stars disappear as a figure stands to block the window. I startle, sucking in a breath as I take a step back. A gurgle echoes around the room as the figure shifts once more. I step back again, jumping when the door opens behind me. The light from the hall allows me to see, the flashes letting me piece together the scene.

A shirtless man stands above a man in a uniform, his arm stretched wide and long as he grabs the uniformed man's face. The arm is thick and all wrong, the hand morphs into the man's face and fingers dig under his skin. The wet sound is clearly coming from the throbbing hand. The horrid man turns towards me, his face adding a new level of terror to the already horrible scene.

"Hello, love," he grins.

My head throbs as I watch him. Flashes of time before make me stumble. Blood and gore are all I can see, all I can remember. The man is the center of every scene, jogging my memory completely. This man I've shared a ship with, a bed with, is no man. This monster is what I've tried to find, looking to everyone with suspicion. The shapeshifter of the Skeld who killed all the crew members.

"Copper," I gasp as I finally come back to myself. He drops the man, his arm slithering and squirming back to normal.

"so you remember me," he rolls his shoulders," shame, I was hoping we could forgo this second encounter." I'm stuck between feelings as he turns and walks towards me. I want to run, get away from this monster in hopes of finding something to kill him. I also want to stay, remembering his promise to me.

"Love," he grins as he slowly glides across the room," are you scared, do you want to run? Do you remember what you did last time? Remember how you screamed and fought me? You were so mad and frustrated, which I understand. I killed your crewmates, how it must feel to a captain to lose all her workers to the man she spends her nights with."

I remember the first kill he committed. A poor engineer worker who stayed late one night in the engine room. She was ripped apart by her chest, her lungs and heart half-eaten and left beside her body. I met with him the next night coincidently in the cafeteria where I vented my frustrations to him. It was the beginning of our blooming relationship.

Back to now, I panic as he nears, his taunts or words thrumming around my head. At his next step, I jump into action, turning and running down the hall. I pump my hands as I book it away from him, dropping the saw as I do. Behind me, I can hear his naked feet slapping against the metal floors.

"Now you run? What captain runs from trouble," he screams after me.

As I turn the corner I think about the second body that was found in electrical. Bennings was split in half and strung from one end of the room to the other, his body was the most brutal of them all. The same night I share my first kiss with Copper.

My heart thumps against my chest, his steps coming closer and closer. When I feel his breath on my neck and hear his cocky chuckle, I stop and duck. He topples over me, tripping on my crouched body and hitting the floor hard. Without a second thought, I run the opposite direction, taking a different turn away from Navigation.

"You're in so much trouble when I catch you, love," he growls. I gulp thinking about the bloody mess he will make of me.

I remember the stress of my time on Skeld, finding body after body with no leads. Blair, Nauls, and Palmer were next. The bodies stacked up till I felt that there was no one I could trust. The only pattern I could find amongst the bodies were bits of jewelry decorating their ears or mouths. It was a weak connection but it stuck with me. I remember seeing Copper that first day on the ship laughing with the gang, his earing gleaming in the light. He brings a bit of comfort till one night in my room I cannot find his earing while he sleeps in my bed.

Twisting off into a room marked security I shut the door behind myself. I try to catch my breath as I search the room for a gun. As I find the gun locker I hear a bang on the door. Not bothering to look back, I up my efforts and quickly grab a shotgun resting in a case. I load the gun, cocking it the same time the door slides open.

"cornering yourself, I thought you were smarter than this," he tsks," I mean, you found me out on the Skeld based on something so stupid as a missing cosmetic item. Truly a special human." I twist around, pressing my back to the gun locker as I point the gun towards him.

"Stay back," I barely spit out. He stops, raising his hands while grinning.

"are you going to shoot me, love," he huffs," I don't think you have the guts." my finger glides over the trigger, pressing lightly against it as I fight for courage to shoot him. "Come on, love," he gawks," do you not remember the nights we shared? The love we shared? I never faked it with you, I truly care about you, I could never hurt you. I won't hurt you, I just want you to understand. I tried to explain to you why but you clonked your head before I could. Just come with me and we can take the ship together." I stutter in my confidence.

I know those nights he speaks of. We talked all through the night, me taking his comfort as the team tries to find the real culprit. He even got me to laugh during those awful days. His kisses were constant and welcomed back then. Would they still be now?

"Come on," he takes a step closer," I love you."

His words throw another memory into the mix. The time when I wanted nothing more than for him to say those words. I grew frustrated at the imposter aboard my ship, grew frustrated with him as red flags began to pile up. The day I figured it out was too late, I caught him red-handed killing the final member of my ship. His horrid face splitting to take a bite out of Fuchs' shoulder.

A bang echoes around the room before I realize what happened. My shoulder aches from the kickback but I can hardly notice it over the large wound in Copper's side. Half of his stomach is torn to the side, the blood splattered against the wall behind him. Though the wound is frozen mid splatter, the tissue and gore sticking out in sharp points.

"Damn," he mumbles," I didn't think you would." with a groan he sucks in the wound till it fills back up into unblemished skin.

"wha-," I try to say before he tackles me against the gun locker, pinning me easily.

"shot your boyfriend, I don't know if I should take offense to that," he laughs. I struggle in his hold, fighting against his grip on my arms.

"let go," I cry out.

"Why," he scoffs," so you can attack me again? I don't want you to do something you'll regret."

"Fuck you," I squirm. He shakes me in hopes of stopping my attempts to escape, pressing his chest against mine.

"Stop," he growls," it's time for you to listen."

"No," I clench my eyes shut, turning away from him. He grabs my face and turns me back to him.

"I'm not going to hurt you so stop pretending I am. I'm on your side, love, just hear me out," he pleads. The tone makes me freeze. Why would he beg? I timidly open my eyes and look to the familiar face that has brought smile after smile to my lips. I sigh in defeat and relax in his hold.

"I'm not the bad guy here, love. I just want to get away from everyone but they wouldn't let me go. Scientists are evil people, far more corrupt than I am. Poking and prodding me like some sort of animal. I took back my choice one day and I escaped that horrid place. Making my way onto your ship was a mistake that your team paid for. I was just trying to survive but your team wouldn't listen, what could I do when they started threatening to airlock me? I'm not sorry for ending them but I am sorry how it hurt you," he drops his head to my head," I just want to go home. Please just let us go home."

His story finishes with a sigh. The plea almost outweighs the grief of my mourning. I get wanting to just be left alone, knowing first hand how doctors can be annoying sons of bitches. Still, did they deserve to die? He was cornered and left to make tough choices. Yet, he could have found a better way to do this. I sigh against him, I'm just tired now.

"I'm sorry," he kisses my cheek," please don't hate me, I've lost a lot but having to lose you would be too much now. I deserve something good, please be my good." 

This is too much. I just want to go back to before, back to my room on Skeld where we shared sweet words and even sweeter kisses.

"I'm tired, Copper," I mumble," so tired."

"I understand, just let me take care of everything," he wraps his arms around me, hugging me close. I let him, resting my eyes while hugging him back.

We both walk out the room in tense companionable silence. I don't forgive him, how could I, but I don't hate him. His misguided attempt at freedom is understandable but the blood resting at my feet muddles my ideas. We walk back to medical where we both lay in bed holding one another.

Copper keeps me in a strict area of the ship, medical, and navigation. The halls are cleaned and the bodies are removed from the area. The consideration of my mental health is sweet but not enough for me to speak to him. I couldn't talk to him the entire journey to where ever he guides us to. Avoiding talking but not avoiding him. He tries to bait me into a conversation but in the end he allows me some time.

A few days of silence gives enough time for me to sort through everything. Time to mourn the death of my crew, time to calm my racing mind, and time to miss him. He kept his promise to not hurt me, which gives a point to his side. It's a long week to decide what I wanted to do once we docked.

I weakly walk out of medical and head towards navigation with a blanket wrapped over my shoulders. I walk through the doors, catching the attention of Copper sitting in the captain's chair.

He smiles shyly," hey." I don't answer. I walk over to him, confusing him when I hand him the blanket. He doesn't speak as I step into his space, nudging his legs further apart before sitting on his lap. Copper understands and wraps the blanket around us both, cradling me against his chest. Sweetly he presses a kiss to my head, squeezing me closer.

"I don't forgive you," I mumble, making him stiffen," but I'm willing to let you try."

He nods," that's all I ask."

We both watch a docking station coming closer and closer through the window. I close my eyes, dreading the nightmare that will be explaining this whole situation. I allow myself a small smile as Copper pets my thigh.


End file.
